1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to nanoscale power generation, more particularly to nanodevice power generation from or nanosensor detection of molecules, and still more particularly to power generation through physisorption of molecules onto nanostructures.
2. Description of Related Art
In a complex environment, there exists a variety of energy sources, such as mechanical energy, solar energy, and thermal energy. In additional to these “traditional” energy sources, there are other types of energy sources. For example, molecules contain chemical energy. When interacting with certain types of materials, molecules can either be decomposed (through catalytic activities) or directly interact with semiconductor surfaces through charge-transfer or dipole-interactions. Both processes provide a new mechanism to generate potentials inside materials and thus electric-current and voltage.
The present invention provides a system for generating electric current through molecule-semiconductor interactions. By monitoring the electric potentials generated through the molecule-semiconductor surface interaction, applicants have determined that one can also detect the types of molecules for sensing purposes. Prior to this invention, there was no early work related to this subject. Therefore this is a conceptually new approach.
The treatise, Introduction to Nanotechnology, by Charles P. Poole, Jr., and Frank J. Owens. John Wiley &. Sons, 2003, states: “Nanotechnology is based on the recognition that particles less than the size of 100 nanometers (a nanometer is a billionth of a meter) impart to nanostructures built from them new properties and behavior. This happens because particles which are smaller than the characteristic lengths associated with particular phenomena often display new chemistry and physics, leading to new behavior which depends on the size. So, for example, the electronic structure, conductivity, reactivity, melting temperature, and mechanical properties have all been observed to change when particles become smaller than a critical size.”